#8 SecondMarket

11.30.11, 06:00 PM EST

Founded in 2004, the company provides an electronic exchange for $30 billion worth of hard-to-trade assets, including shares of privately held companies (think Facebook), restricted shares in public companies, collateralized debt obligations, auction-rate securities and bankruptcy claims.

Founded in 2004, the company provides an electronic exchange for $30 billion worth of hard-to-trade assets, including shares of privately held companies (think Facebook), restricted shares in public companies, collateralized debt obligations, auction-rate securities and bankruptcy claims. In February 2010, SecondMarket raised $7.5 million from Temasek Holdings (Singapore?s sovereign wealth fund) and another $7.5 million from Li Ka-Shing, Hong Kong's richest man. In October 2011, SecondMarket raised $15 million from The Social+Capital Partnership.